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The Four: A Survey of the Gospels
Defending Constantine: The Twilight of an Empire and the Dawn of Christendom
From Behind the Veil: The Epistles of John
Deep Exegesis:The Mystery of Reading Scripture
1 & 2 Kings
Brazos Theological Commentary
The Promise Of His Appearing: An Exposition Of Second Peter
A Great Mystery: Fourteen Wedding Sermons
Deep Comedy: Trinity, Tragedy, And Hope In Western Literature
Miniatures & Morals: The Christian Novels of Jane Austen
The Priesthood of the Plebs: A Theology of Baptism
A Son To Me: An Exposition of 1 & 2 Samuel
From Silence to Song: The Davidic Liturgical Revolution
Ascent to Love: A Guide to Dante's Divine Comedy
Blessed Are the Hungry: Meditations on the Lord's Supper
A House For My Name: A Survey of the Old Testament
Heroes of the City of Man: A Christian Guide to Select Ancient Literature
Brightest Heaven of Invention: A Christian Guide To Six Shakespeare Plays
Wise Words: Family Stories That Bring the Proverbs to Life
The Kingdom and the Power: Rediscovering the Centrality of the Church
The Bible first mentions pomegranates in connection with the priestly garments of glory and beauty. Bells and pomegranates alternate along the hem of the priest’s robe (Exodus 28:33-34; 29:24-26), the bells sounding to “warn” Yahweh of the priest’s approach. In the temple, this gets picks up in the pomegranate chains that adorn the two pillars at the front of the temple. The pillars are priestly pillars, pomegranate trees.
Pomegranates are also associated with the land. The spies bring back grapes, figs, and pomegranates (Numbers 13:23), and the people complain that Moses has not taken them to a land of pomegranates (Numbers 20:5).
Given that the priest’s approach to the Most Holy Place is an approach to the throne of Yahweh, and symbolically to the land of Eden, it is appropriate that the priest be decorated with pomegranates. Aaron is a pomegranate tree, flourishing and bearing fruit in the house and land of Yahweh. So is Christ, and so, in Christ, are we.
posted by Peter J. Leithart on Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 5:06 am
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